Media & Communication Department

This project explores the social construct of masculinity in our
society through history. While taking Sport Media I became increasingly
interested in media's portrayal of masculinity. Masculinity is often
associated with power, dominance, and control. Over the years media
images of men in magazines, movies, and on the television have become
larger and more muscular. Size and strength have come to measure
the level of masculinity. Much research explores the media and women's
body image however; the topic of male body image seems to be neglected.
In reality, some men suffer from eating disorders, engage in excessive
workout routines, and/or engage in drug use to change their body.
This project helped me see that the impact of media on distorted
body image is not only a women's issue rather it is something that
influences our entire society.